Do You Need A Building Permit When Building A Vernanda

That is a very good question. You do need a building permit to install a veranda.

Absolutely

There are almost no exemptions to that. The only exemption would be something that is very small and not attached to the home.

Yes. Something people actually get confused about is what is a pergola and what is a veranda. So when they call up the councils, council will generally say to them a pergola is something that doesn’t require, is not attached…

That is because it has on no roof.

Don’t forget that even under code, even a pergola greater than 20 square metres will require.

Don’t forget it is also going to be built to rule. You can’t build it over or anything like that.

Correct.

That will affect it as well. So I reckon, we’re able to say all verandas need a

You can’t play ducks and trays with a permit. It’s always compulsory. I always ask a client, let us do paperwork? We’ll get it, be safe, be sure.

And if a company is not willing to do a permit, you’d really question their integrity. Because we are talking about a permanent extension of your home.

Absolutely.

Well it is funny you should say that because often clients say to me, look I’ve seen someone else and they’ve said you don’t need a permit.

That’s just not true.

I think as builders we’d love to all in an ideal world just build a veranda. But we actually take the next step and get the permit for you.

And the onus does come back on to the owner so it is important

In Langwarrin just recently 30 verandas were ordered pulled down. Just about 15 months ago. That is very upsetting for me.

And fines to the builder

Where it can come back and bite you on the bum is when you want to sell your home.

Definitely

The purchaser of the home will want to see a permit. They do not want any risk involved with the sale.

And I think the other thing by not doing a building permit and going down that path, more often than not, you are actually going to build it without building it in line with the guidelines which then makes it an illegal structure. So really you just do and you do